Dispensers of the type contemplated by the present invention may be employed for a wide variety of viscous fluids including foods or condiments such as salad dressings and the like, cosmetics or personal care products such as hand creams, moisturizers, shampoos and the like, cleaning products and even fluids such as lubricating oils or greases.
It is generally contemplated that the dispenser can be employed in a variety of settings such as food service stores or institutions, other commercial settings and even for personal use in homes and the like.
Regardless of the setting, it is further contemplated that the fluid be initially stored in a flexible or collapsible bag which can then be arranged in a dispenser operable for dispensing the fluid from the bag in a simple and effective manner to assure delivery of a satisfactory amount of the fluid at a proper rate of delivery.
It is further desirable that the dispenser be capable of dispensing the material only in response to operation of a dispenser device by a user. Otherwise, it is important that the dispenser be capable of storing the fluid, possibly for extended periods of time. In some applications, it may be necessary or desirable to store the fluid in a controlled environment, for example in a refrigerated or cooled area, possibly overnight or between normal intervals of use requiring operation of the dispenser. Under such circumstances, it is contemplated that the flexible or collapsible bag be removable from the container for separate storage and then returned to the container for further use.
In still other applications, it may be important that the fluid be prevented from contacting the air or the environment at least until the fluid is properly dispensed.
Numerous devices have been provided in the prior art for meeting certain of these conditions. Generally, such devices have contemplated arrangement of a container so that the fluid may flow from the container under the influence of gravity. Other dispensers have typically provided mechanical means such as springs or ratchets to assist in extruding the fluid from a flexible or collapsible bag.
These dispensers have been generally satisfactory for their intended use. However, there has been found to remain a need for further improvements in such containers to facilitate the dispensing of fluids in a simple and effective manner.